RZA explores martial arts in directorial debut

Rapper turned actor and director will make his directorial debut in the Quentin Tarantino-produced Kung Fu movie “The Man with the Iron Fists.” It is in theaters November 2 across the country. (Courtesy photo)

San Antonio.- If Wu Tang’s “36 Chambers” was the beginning of the RZA music career saga, then “Man with the Iron Fists” is the second coming of his life as a true artist.

If you don’t really know RZA, then you don’t know about his love for Kung Fu movies. Since he was young kid he would dream up Kung Fu movies in his head on his walks to school.

On Nov. 2, the world will be introduced to the legendary rapper’s skill as a writer and director in the Quentin Tarantino-produced “Man with the Iron Fists.”

The film is an American Kung Fu movie that pays homage to the great Kung Fu movies of all-time that “even the Asian brothers will like,” according to RZA.

“I pay so much respect to it, so much homage to it, but I add some flavor to it that they (the Asian brothers) might not be up on and that they might want to add to their movies,” RZA said about his first-ever film.

“Man with the Iron Fists” is RZA’s debut as a big-screen director, writer and leading man, alongside a stellar international cast led by Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu.

The film tells the story of warriors, assassins and a lone hero in nineteenth-century China who must unite to destroy the clan traitor. Since the lone hero’s arrival in China’s Jungle Village, the town’s blacksmith (RZA) is forced by radical tribal factions to create elaborate tools of destruction.

When the clans’ brewing war boils over, the stranger channels an ancient energy to transform himself into a human weapon. As he fights alongside iconic heroes and against soulless villains, one man must harness this power to become savior of his adopted people.

Filmmaking is a departure from what made RZA a household name. But, he believes this movie is at the top of the list when it comes to American-made Kung Fu movies.

“To me a film takes more creativity than an album,” he said.

“There are so many things you have to worry about,” RZA said about making a movie. “Music is just one aspect of this thing, but then I act, then I got to write it and direct it.

“I have to control the art, the hair, there are so many departments as the director you have to have a creative mind on… to control… all the way down to the costumes and weapons is all from my imagination.”

He did have help with the writing process from Eli Roth and the likes of Quentin Tarantino backing him up, but this was all RZA he said. He studied and learned from Tarantino leading up to his directorial debut.

You could say RZA was the student at Tarantino was his master. But, it all changed during the making of the film when Tarantino gave RZA the ultimate compliment and approval, dubbing him a master.

“Most of the time during the shoot—if you ask some of my buddies—I was so tense and always focused, like there was a lot of weight on my shoulders.”

“When Quentin gave me that approval a lot of weight went away from me, and I was like ‘you know what, I’m good at what I’m doing. He sees it, he says it, he recognizes it. Nobody can’t tell me nothing. I’m rocking this sh**.”

And rocked it he did, judging by the early reviews and the movie’s trailer. The detail of the characters, down to the soundtrack produced by RZA, are flawless.

Artists lined up to make music for the film with RZA. Kanye West cut a song titled “White Dress” solely for a scene that boasts Lucy Liu in a white dress. He also called on his Wu Tang family to record a couple of songs that complement the film well. Best of all might be The Black Keys collaboration with RZA on “Baddest Man Alive.”

The entire soundtrack is packed with the best of hip-hop and soul inspired by RZA’s early days of watching Kung Fu movies.

“If you go back into the exploitation days of Kung Fu movies, you’ll notice some of those 70s movies used Soul music for the background.

“I remember watching a Kung Fu movie, and I heard Shaft come on. I even remember watching “The 7 Grandmasters” and it started with the theme song from ‘Roots,’” RZA said with a laugh.

So, the connection between Kung Fu, hip-hop and soul isn’t as distant as you might believe.

RZA explained he has a ton of ideas for what might come next. A movie starring the entire Wu Tang Clan might even be a possibility.

“It’s called ‘Black Shampoo,’ it’s crazy, and it’s already written.

“I don’t know if I can spoil it... it’s like this, it’s another genre-type mix. I’m mixing sci-fi with martial arts and black exploitation all in one. That’s a crazy combination. There is a lot, a lot of pretty girls…but ‘Black Shampoo,’ yeah.”